#Confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers

[suetravelblog]

Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade Serbia

[emaadsidiki]

The evening always delivers 🚢🌆

[captain-price-unofficially]

River monitor Sava (former SMS Bodrog), the ship that opened WWI by firing first shells on the Belgrade, She's been restored last year and is now a museum ship located close to the confluence of the Sava and Danube

[furordinaricvs]

"Belgrad oder Griechisch Weissenburg"

Belgrade or Greek White City, copperplate engraving made by Gabriel Boedener in Augsburg in 1730. Author is Gabriel Boedener the Younger (1705-1792) son of Gabriel Boedener the Elder (1673-1758). After inheriting his fathers workshop and skill he quickly became one of most esteemed engravers of his time eclipsing the works of his ancestors. First engraver was Johann Georg Boedener (1631-1704) who started seven generation long tradition.

This specific engraving is from Gabriel's most famous work "Europens Pracht und Macht", a series of engravings depicting city views, plans, fortresses and castles in Europe. Many plates often show fortifications in Hungary and southeast Europe, Spain, Belgium, Austria and Germany. This particular engraving and his work "Europens Pracht und Macht" were considered very unorthodox for that time and their format. Half a century later this format became popular.

Belgrade was known by many names through history, one of the names that remained in use the longest was "Alba Graeca", Latin for "Greek Dawn". In German, name retained Greek denomination since Germans referred to Serbian as Illyrian until beginning of XVIII century. In Serbian language name of city is Beograd/Београд which means "White City". This veduta of the city shows flow of the Danube and confluence of the river Sava as well as view of the city from the north with most important landmarks being shown.

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2008 - Number 13 - Drum'n'Zez - "Dunav"

Discogs describes Drum'n'Zez as an

Agro-reggae/surf pop band from Novi Sad, Serbia formed in 1997. Their music is a fusion of reggae, pop, ska, dub, rock, surf, world and ethno.

That's some genre categorisation to live up to. A sort of Serbian Chumbawamba, they're a large group of mainly percussionists and brass-players surrounding vocalist, song-writer (and drummer) Vojislav Malešev and guitarist Dejan Matić. For the purposes of Beovizija, they've slimmed down to a six piece.

The theme for the Eurovision year in Belgrade is confluence, as Belgrade sits on two rivers, the Sava and the Danube, that join in the city and flow on together. By coincidence Drum'n'Zez have turned up to the national final with a song all about the Danube.

Dunav (Danube) is a song of love. A song of love that somehow itself seems to express that love in a truly deep and touching manner. You can feel the attachment in every note. An attachment between the group and their home on the banks of that river. It toys with the idea of being an actual song of devotion for a while, but honestly, this is just a simple expression of love of home, safety and geography.

The gentleness of this is what sets it apart from most other Eurovision songs. It's a smile rather than a laugh or a shout. Like the river itself it flows along taking in life's curves, gently building as it progresses. Sweet and warm, as the song says:

Dunav je kao more Samo što nije slan

or

The Danube is like the sea, Only it's not salty.

For some reason at the final of Beovizija, the group dressed up like a handball team. This after they charmed their way into the final - and then managed to finish ninth in what was a very strong year for the country hosting Eurovision.

Beyond the competition, the song seems to have taken on a life of its own. Drum'n'Zez have continued on and off to the present day, largely playing concerts and gigs, and at every one of those, Dunav is a highlight. It still brings its sunshine and warmth to crowds everywhere it's played. This is a version of it by Drum'n'Zez together with the Sambansa samba team from 2019.

Who couldn't love something this sunny?

And for something that lives up more to their description on Discogs, this is another of their perennial favourites. Palacinka is another song about love that also makes the link between Balkan brass and ska.

This is about a love so strong that Vojislav would give the object of his devotion the middle of his pancake, his Internet hours and the TV remote.

Now that's love.

[rasmasandra]

Traveling in Europe Serbia

Belgrade Serbia The beautiful capital of the southeastern European country of Serbia The name Belgrade translates to White City. It is the capital and largest city of Serbia located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers at the place where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkan Mountains. It is interesting that Belgrade has gotten a reputation of being one of Europe’s foremost party…

[balapann-blog]

Day 9 - 14 September - Belgrade

We got up and went to the train station to book our sleeper train to Montenegro on Sunday night, however lots of the streets were closed by the police and there were armoured vehicles and police dogs around which was slightly intimidating. We did manage to get to the station and then book the train, (we initially thought we had got a private cabin but the lady had booked us on the Saturday train and there were only couchettes for Sunday, however this will hopefully be better than the night bus or sleeping on across 3 seats like our last night train).

We then went and spent the most opulent £16.90 I’ve ever spent at breakfast at this bib gourmand restaurant. It was a modern take on Balkan food and I had this polenta portage with blue cheese and mushrooms and Nin had cold oatmeal with every nice fruit under the sun on it. Considering we had that and 4 coffees, I couldn’t believe the price!

The breakfast was quite heavy so we went home to chill for a bit and then went on another excellent free walking tour. The guide was a very dry woman (i think called Ivana) who spoke through lots of different things, such as the three main architectural styles of Belgrade; Habsburg (very much friends of the blog at this point), brutalist, modern (she really did not like the modern stuff). We walked down the street our apartment is on, and then into the more hipster part of town that during the time when organised crime most ran the country in the early 00s was called silicone valley because of the breast implants of the mob wives who went to the clubs there. This is also where the oldest families in Belgrade live in, as there are very few people whose families have lived continuously in Belgrade for generations (apparently the city empties on orthodox holidays as everyone goes back to their village or town).

Although Belgrade was very Ottoman for hundreds of years, almost nothing of this architecture remains bar a couple of houses. She spoke through the Serbo/Croat language and the fact that it has two scripts (Cyrillic and Latin) because when Serbia and the rest of Yugoslavia merged Serbia used Cyrillic and Slovenia/Croatia used Latin and since the languages are the same, both scripts are usable.

We went to Belgrade castle which is absolutely massive and has an amazing view down onto the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The tour finished in the orthodox cathedral where there was a wedding on. Serbian weddings seem to be soundtracked by gypsy brass bands who seranade the bride as she enters the church. It was fun and very over the top.

Our tour guide was interesting, on one hand, she was very liberal in her views and spoke a lot about government corruption and hoping all the things from the Yugoslav wars were behind the region. On the other hand she was very clearly Serbian in of her outlook, she crossed herself going into the cathedral, she preferred the Cyrillic script to the Latin, and was very proud of her Serbianness (if thats a word). Her explanation of the place of rakija in Serb culture was really interesting and heartfelt. I think that sometimes there is an assumption people in the east of Europe want to be like people in the west of Europe, but that that view I think is lazy and quite condescending (even if we can all stray into it) and that there are loads of ways to be a good person and be a good society. And nice liberal people from metropole cities in Western Europe don’t have a monopoly on a good life and we have lots of faults and blind spots that we don’t often interrogate.

After the tour we went to a grill called GrillRepublik which had 4.9 stars on google (‘unheard of’ Nina Jones) they were playing the Liverpool game which was nice I hadn’t watched any football since the season started. The food was so good we both had burgers with kajmak on it which is a Balkan cream thing that is half way between butter and clotted cream. It was delicious but I think dangerous to have on meat like that. My burger came with cabbage and I got a shopska salad, Nin had onions and a slightly different salad. The bread we had was also very fresh and airy. This was supposed to be a little snack so we got the small burger, but it was so big we could just about finish it!

After food, we went home and chilled out for a bit and then went to this fun bar for a couple of drinks (it was Saturday night after all), however we were both quite tired and so we left and went for a little walk and then went back to our apartment, I published my blog from Sarajevo and we did some planning and got a relatively early night.

What we ate - Iva New Balkan Cuisine, GrillRepublik

What we liked - My polenta thing got quite heavy after a while so i think the grill was the best thing of the day.

Day 10 - 15 September - Belgrade > Bar

We were planning to go for a run before we checked out but it was absolutely lashing when we work up so we just had a coffee in the flat and packed. When we left we went to do laundry in a laundrette, which was needed as we hadn’t done any washing since Zagreb! There were lots of tourists there trying to wash (or dry) their stuff. Walking there had been a bit of a mission and I am very thankful for the waterproof cover for my bag!

We then went and stored our stuff in a luggage storage and looked for place for lunch, we found this very classic boogie coffee shop/brunch place. I had this french omelette with mushrooms which was amazing, I think I said it was one of the best omelettes id ever had, not sure if that was hyperbole or not but it was good! It was probably one of the most expensive meals we had had since Slovenia (about £33) but the space was very nice and the food was good!

After that we failed at getting a bus to the Museum of Yugoslavia, so in the end got a taxi. It is quite a random museum, and mainly houses The Big Man’s (Tito’s) mausoleum and then a museum bit that seems only there to house the presents that he got from other world leaders, among some other things about the formation of Yugoslavia. The most numerous thing in the museum was relay batons from Youth Day celebrations over the years, my main thought was that I just want someone to love me like Tito loves relay batons.

After the museum, we walked to St. Sava’s temple which is the second biggest Orthodox Church in the world. It was pretty amazing and I think had been restored quite recently and was latterly shining gold. The pictures I took do not do it justice. They were also piping in some sick plainchant music which added to the atmosphere.

We then walked back into town (the other two places had been a bit out of town) via a Boots/Superdrug type shop, which in the rain and after being in lots of cites that id never been to before felt strangely comforting (something about the lighting and familiarity), even though we didn’t get anything. We went to the National Museum of Serbia, which is mainly an art gallery with some early artefacts on the second floor. The art was pretty good, would have liked a bit more socialist realism, but there was some great stuff there (it was free and in the main square too!)

We then went to a Vietnamese (Asian fusion really) that was in the bib gourmand but was really just fine, I think in London we are spoiled it’s Pho Mile. We then got our bags and got a taxi to the station. The driver said he hoped Putin sent nuclear bombs on the UK as he showed us a building that had been destroyed in nato bombing (good thing I said we were Irish).

I enjoyed Belgrade much more than I expected to, particularly after being in Sarajevo and Republika Srpska, and reading and hearing about how the Serb Government is acting and its close relationship to Russia. I guess it is true that most people are generally friendly and welcoming and that politics generally sits above individual interactions with people. It also feels like Belgrade is pretty liberal (particularly the places we went), and I doubt the rest of the country is quite like that. Our taxi driver slightly shattered that assumption, but looking at his age, he could well have been in the Yugoslav army at the time of the wars, and what would an experience like that do to someone. It takes lots of courage and self reflection to go against the view of an institution you are part of, particularly if you hear of atrocities committed by the other side (real or not), and NATO are bombing your country. The graffiti below is from the main square in Belgrade, written in English with stencils of Radovan Karadžić beside it, even with all the perceived liberalism in Belgrade, this politics is impossible to ignore.

We were very early for our train and when it came we were both top bunks in a couchette. We have definitely got our night travel better and a night train is definitely preferable to night bus. The guy in the bunk below me snored quite a lot and my noise cancelling headphones ran out of battery at about 1am! I think I slept a bit and am definitely not as tired as after the bus. At about 8am I woke up and went to look out the window, the train we were on is famously very beautiful and it was a very nice view to wake up to, first the mountains then Skroder lake! We are now in a coffee shop in Bar waiting for our check in at 2 to our hotel down the coast. The weather is much nicer here so let’s hope it stays that way!

What we ate - June cafe, Istok

What we liked - June was nice, Istok i would say is overrated but wasn’t bad.

[roomchailimited]

Discovering the Balkans: A Journey Through Southeast Europe

Southeast Europe, often referred to as the Balkans, is a region rich in history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes. For Bangladeshi travelers, exploring the Balkans offers a unique opportunity to delve into diverse traditions, picturesque towns, and stunning natural beauty. This journey will take you through some of the most captivating destinations in the Balkans, revealing the charm and complexity of this fascinating region.

The Journey Begins: From Dhaka to Belgrade

Your Balkan adventure starts with a flight from Dhaka to Belgrade, the vibrant capital of Serbia. With convenient layovers in major international hubs like Istanbul or Dubai, reaching Belgrade is straightforward. Upon arrival, you'll be welcomed by the city's dynamic blend of old-world charm and modern energy. Stroll through the historic Belgrade Fortress, offering panoramic views of the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers. Explore the lively Knez Mihailova Street, lined with shops, cafes, and historic buildings. Don't miss the bohemian quarter of Skadarlija, where you can enjoy traditional Serbian cuisine and live music.

Sarajevo: The Heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Next, head to Sarajevo, a city known for its rich history and multicultural heritage. The drive from Belgrade to Sarajevo takes you through picturesque landscapes and quaint villages. In Sarajevo, visit the historic Baščaršija bazaar, where you can wander through narrow streets filled with shops selling traditional crafts and souvenirs. The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and the Latin Bridge, site of the assassination that sparked World War I, are must-see landmarks. Experience the city's unique blend of East and West, reflected in its architecture and cuisine. Try local dishes such as cevapi and burek, and enjoy a traditional Bosnian coffee.

Montenegro: The Jewel of the Adriatic

From Sarajevo, travel to Montenegro, a country renowned for its stunning Adriatic coastline and rugged mountains. Start your exploration in Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and scenic bay. Climb the ancient city walls for panoramic views of the bay and surrounding mountains. Continue to Budva, famous for its beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife. The historic old town, with its narrow streets and Venetian-style buildings, is a delight to explore. Don't miss the opportunity to visit the Lovćen National Park, where you can hike to the mausoleum of Montenegro's beloved hero, Njegoš, and enjoy spectacular views.

Albania: The Land of Eagles

Next, venture into Albania, a country with a rich history and diverse landscapes. Start in Tirana, the capital city, where you can explore Skanderbeg Square, the heart of the city, and visit the National History Museum to learn about Albania's past. The colorful buildings and vibrant street art add a unique charm to the city. From Tirana, travel to Berat, known as the "City of a Thousand Windows" for its distinctive Ottoman-era architecture. The Berat Castle, perched on a hilltop, offers stunning views of the surrounding area. Enjoy Albanian hospitality and traditional dishes such as byrek and tave kosi.

North Macedonia: A Land of Contrasts

Continue your journey to North Macedonia, where ancient history and modern culture coexist harmoniously. In Skopje, the capital city, visit the impressive Alexander the Great statue and the Old Bazaar, one of the largest and most well-preserved in the Balkans. The Stone Bridge, a symbol of the city, connects the old and new parts of Skopje. Travel to Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its beautiful lake and historic churches. The Church of St. John at Kaneo, perched on a cliff overlooking Lake Ohrid, is particularly picturesque. Enjoy local Macedonian cuisine, including dishes like tavče gravče and ajvar.

The Return Journey

As your journey through the Balkans comes to an end, reflect on the diverse cultures, histories, and landscapes you’ve experienced. Each destination offers its own unique charm, making the Balkans a region full of surprises and unforgettable moments.

Conclusion

Discovering the Balkans provides Bangladeshi travelers with an enriching adventure through Southeast Europe. From the vibrant streets of Belgrade to the serene beauty of Lake Ohrid, this journey showcases the region's rich heritage and stunning landscapes.

Plan Your Balkan Adventure with Roomchai Limited

Roomchai Limited specializes in crafting personalized travel packages for Bangladeshi travelers. With expert guidance, seamless logistics, and exceptional service, Roomchai Limited ensures a smooth and enjoyable journey through the Balkans. Let Roomchai Limited handle the details while you explore the wonders of Southeast Europe, creating unforgettable memories along the way.

[jasonxu0929]

When you stand at the Kalemegdan Citadel and look down, it’s a wonderful view of the confluence of the Sava River and the Danube River, and the former is light green and the latter muddy color in a sharp contrast, but they remain its color for a quite distance in the joint tour further downstream!

[cmp-geo-world]

Belgrade

Belgrade, the capital and largest city of Serbia, is a vibrant and historically rich metropolis located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Known for its dynamic blend of culture, history, and modernity, Belgrade is a hub for politics, education, commerce, and entertainment. Here’s an in-depth look at Belgrade: Geography and Urban LayoutLocation: Belgrade is situated in the…

[wikiuntamed]

Five steps of Wikipedia for Sunday, 21st April 2024

Welcome, selamat datang, tervetuloa, आपका स्वागत है (āpakā svāgata hai) 🤗 Five steps of Wikipedia from "Jelena Katić" to "1563 London plague". 🪜👣

Start page 👣🏁: Jelena Katić "Jelena Katić (Serbian Cyrillic: Јелена Катић; born 15 November 1992), formerly known as Jelena Jović, is a politician in Serbia. She has served in the National Assembly of Serbia since 6 October 2021 as a member of the Serbian Progressive Party (Srpska napredna stranka, SNS)...."

Step 1️⃣ 👣: Ivan Tasovac "Ivan Tasovac (Serbian Cyrillic: Иван Тасовац; 21 June 1966 – 29 September 2021) was a Serbian pianist and manager. He served as the director of Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra from 2001 to 2013. He also served as the Minister of Culture and Information in the Government of Serbia from 2013 to 2016..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0?

Step 2️⃣ 👣: Belgrade "Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. The population of the Belgrade metropolitan area is 1,681,405 according to the 2022 census. It is one of the major..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0? by Bestalex

Step 3️⃣ 👣: 1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak "The 1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak was the largest outbreak of smallpox in Europe after the Second World War. It was centered in SAP Kosovo, a province of Serbia within Yugoslavia, and the capital city of Belgrade. A Kosovar Albanian Muslim pilgrim had contracted the smallpox virus in the Middle..."

Image by

Photo Credit:

Content Providers(s): CDC/Dr. William Foege

Step 4️⃣ 👣: 1557 influenza pandemic "In 1557, a pandemic strain of influenza emerged in Asia, then spread to Africa, Europe, and eventually the Americas. This flu was highly infectious and presented with intense, occasionally lethal symptoms. Medical historians like Thomas Short, Lazare Rivière and Charles Creighton gathered..."

Image by Sebastian Münster

Step 5️⃣ 👣: 1563 London plague "In 1563, London experienced its worst episode of plague during the sixteenth century. At least 20,136 people in London and surrounding parishes were recorded to have died of plague during the outbreak. Around 24% of London's population ultimately perished, but the plague affected London's unsanitary..."

Image by Mike Calder, image of Civitas Londinium, Agas' Map of London, c. 1570-1605

[juliehowlin]

Belgrade

Belgrade is located at the confluence of the rivers, the Danube and the Sava. This is a pretty strategic location which is probably why it has been fought over in 115 wars and razed to the ground and rebuilt 44 times.

10 things you might not know about Belgrade:

[emaadsidiki]

Port of Belgrade at Sunset 🌆

[sweetswannylawson]

Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.

Belgrade, Serbia 🇷🇸

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2008: The Stage and Set Design

The stage design for 2008 was put out for an open tender along with the graphic design and logo. For the stage at least, that wasn't too problematic. The winning design was entitled "Confluence" and was shaped to reflect the two rivers that meet in Belgrade, the Sava and the Danube. This matched the announced slogan "Confluence of Sound". Belgrade is big on confluence.

The winning design featured sinuous curves, lots of LEDs, lighting and moveable sections. Stages in the past three or four years of Eurovision had become increasingly complex and this was no exception. Some of the lighting possibilities were demonstrated at the start of the first semi-final when the two rivers were illuminated in red and blue, while the outline of Belgrade was picked out in white above them.

The construction and installation of the stage and set was once again performed by Stage One and there was plenty of room in the Belgrade Arena, which is frankly enormous. There were huge screens either side of the stage, well out of the sightlines of the cameras, but visible to the entire crowd. The arena's normal use as a basketball and sport arena is evident - this is a location designed to allow 20,000 people to watch every moment of action on a small court.

Unlike the stage, the graphic design did have a hitch. The result of the original process was a logo called "Mama 2008" which featured a large plum. It was a little reminiscent of the flowers from 2007, if only in colouring and natural inspiration. It may also have resulted in a large amount of slivovitz being drunk backstage if a suitable sponsor had been found!

However the fans were not enamoured and after much criticism from Eurofans (perhaps the first such outpouring that actually changed something), the design was altered and the treble clef motif that featured at the opening of each of the three shows was the result.

Outside of the logo, the design is very simple. Bold use of red, white and blue from scoreboard, to the stage, to the costumes of the dancers at the opening.

The idea of confluence and musical unity also resulted in an original pre-show postcard, in which a small choir, dressed in a variety of matching costumes performed an acapella version of the Eurovision anthem, Te Deum by Charpentier. They match the clean simplicity of the actual postcards which I will get to in a future blog. Given each of the shows its own musical postcard gave an appetizer right up front as well as an extra opportunity to hear the piece of music that instantly means Eurovision to fans of all ages.

The green room was once again buried in the back rooms of the area. Looking a little like the Red Room out of Twin Peaks, only with white, diaphanous curtains throughout, each delegation had a whole suite of white sofas to themselves. The entire area must have been so large as at any one moment only two or three delegations are visible on camera.

Back on the stage and the many technical installations gave delegations an swath of possibilities for their staging, and for one, many of them took advantage. Most notably, pyro was used by eight different countries. The big screens at the back were transparent allowing them to be used either in 'LED' mode or with the lighting rig behind providing an array of lighting effects. Occasionally both were used at the same time.

The floor, mini-walkway (that was available for use by the acts this year) and the two confluent prongs at the back also had LED screens throughout and they could be used either to provide extra lighting or display other images.

Perhaps the biggest technical challenge for the year though was the props. It seemed almost every delegation had brought a prop of some kind and each brought some challenges, from washing lines, to ship's wheels, to giant floral displays, to golf-carts, to miniature ice rinks. 2008 was the year where staging creativity exploded, and finally a stage could show what was possible.

It was all delivered in 1080i HD with 5:1 surround sound. A new HD rig had to be installed in the area to do this. Twenty different cameras were used, with eight them having remote, programmable motion control.

Like Finland and YLE the year before, there were many wide and long shots of the stage and audience in between set pieces. Serbia was proud to finally be hosting this event after participating in one way or another since 1961.

As they had a bigger job to do than any other host before and had also had a period of uncertainty after winning in 2007 while the EBU decided if Serbia could actually host or not, they did amazingly well. RTS delivered a venue and stage that was well up to the job and that everyone could see from all angles.

The stage was designed by David Cushing with Goran Joksimobic in charge of production design. The graphic and visual elements were based on designs by Boris Miljković

[illuminatedhorizons]

Srbija Ušće (Ushtche) is a neighborhood in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade’s municipality of Novi Beograd. Ušće is located on the mouth of the Sava river into the Danube, thus the name (ušće is Serbian for confluence). It occupies Blocks 10, 13, 14, 15 and 16 on the Sava’s left and the Danube’s right bank, covering a tip of land that overlooks the islands of Little War Island and Great War Island, to the north and the old core of Belgrade, the fortress of Kalemegdan, to the west.